Spokane Valley City Council has approved a plan to upgrade and expand the CenterPlace Regional Events Center to enhance community events and increase visitors. The 54,000-square-foot events center – which opened in 2005 – hosts about 1,000 events per year, including weddings, business conferences and larger community events such as Valleyfest, Crave NW and Oktoberfest.

The janitor of the Stevens School made a shocking discovery when he went to open up the school on a Monday morning: Several sticks of dynamite had been planted on the steps of the school. Police went on the hunt and soon arrested five members of a “boy gang,” one of whom confessed to planting the dynamite.

Two weeks ago I wrote about sexual abuse and the attention it is receiving in America currently. Most people who responded had a positive reaction, but not all. One person suggested that if women feel they have a problem, they should get help, but that “the whole world doesn’t want to hear it.” This sentiment was also put forth elsewhere because it’s Christmastime “and I don’t want to hear about that stuff now.” So just when is a good time to hear about that stuff? When is a good time to speak up? I’ll answer that – right now, that’s when.

TRANSITIONS -- The Outdoors Blog is evolving. After nearly 41 years as Outdoors editor at The Spokesman-Review, Rich Landers has officially retired. He will continue writing occasionally as an Outdoors ...

Another potential constitutional controversy involves lawmakers and their social media accounts. The ACLU of Washington said last week legislators should not be blocking people with whom they disagree or deleting ...